The Journey of One
by Eternal Crusader
Summary: The journey of a Heartless into existence. When a Heartless realizes that he is nothing like the others, he travels to find pieces of himself and finally 'be.' Becoming 'One,' the journey is of selfdiscovery, knowledge and truth. Please R&R! COMPLETED
1. Prologue

**The Journey of One**

**Prologue**

**---**

First, just a regular disclaimer.  This story is based in the world of 'Kingdom Hearts,' and Square-Enix Co. along with Disney Interactive has full rights over it.  There are aspects to this story that I did not invent and in fact Square-Enix Co. and/or Disney Interactive did.  Therefore, I claim no ownership over their copyrighted property.  The basic plotline of an entity's journey to existence is my creation.  All else belongs to Square-Enix Co. and Disney Interactive.

Secondly, just a bit of background.  Based in the Kingdom Hearts world, a Heartless journeys from one world to the next finding out more and more about himself, the world around him and existence itself.  I don't want to give away the story, so read on if you want to know more.  I wrote this story for an English assignment, and it is currently 9 chapters long.  No plans for sequel or expansion have been made, but I guess if this story is liked I will probably make one.

Finally, just a thank you.  I thank all you readers for reading this story.  I would appreciate criticism, comments and such on this story – all are welcome.

Happy Reading!

_Next: chapter 1 begins…_


	2. Wonderland

The Journey of One Chapter I

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**Location: Wonderland**

  We studied our surroundings, and concluded that we had shifted into some kind of strange forest.  Massive trees stood in the middle of this place and brown, barren soil formed the ground.  Large blades of grass colored green and orange towered over us all around, but they formed wide paths and made it easy to maneuver through this place.  Numerous mushrooms seemed to provide steps to the upper stories of this forest.  Using our antennas, we searched for information regarding our location and sensed the heart of this world.  Within that heart, we discovered a name: Wonderland.  And from that heart, we found a connection to the heart of one of the seven Princesses of Pure Heart.  The Princess was a naïve, passive girl named Alice.  She had long blonde hair and a white apron over a blue dress.  We sensed where she was and immediately shifted there, as if shifting were a natural instinct to us.

We were borne into being with many inherent ideas.  We knew that we had to seek the seven Princesses of Pure Heart, who resided in seven separate worlds.  And we also knew that we had to take the Keyblade from its Master, because those two together would hinder our purpose.  Our instincts also told us how to function, and how to sense hearts.  However, there were also things that none of us knew at all.  For example why the Keyblade struck such fear inside us, and what true powers lay inside that weapon.  None of us remembered how we were born, save for the fact that we were born in Kingdom Hearts, the realm of darkness.  A yearning to return there existed deep within us, and that was why we had to follow our instincts.  The seven Princesses of Pure Heart and the Keyblade would reveal the way to Kingdom Hearts.

After shifting, we appeared inside a golden cage covered in dark pink shades.  The Princess was sitting in the corner when she noticed us.  She was startled and backed away, but we leaped to her and took her with us.  We sensed a disturbance and quickly shifted out of the cage back into the forest.  Princess Alice had fainted because of our encounter, so we sat her down against a tree.

"What do we do now?"

"We must find the heart of this world."

"What of the Princess?"

"She must come with us."

"We must hurry and find the heart, before the Keyblade Wielder does."

"Perhaps, Kingdom Hearts is here…?"

It was that thought that excited us so intensely that we were frightened.  We paused for a moment, closed our eyes and tried to sense for more information.  At last, we found the great heart and shifted out of that forest with the Princess.  We felt the presence of the great heart inside some sort of room.  Traveling there took time, because the energy emanating from the heart was disturbing our antennas and it became difficult to sense the precise location.  Eventually however, we prevailed and found ourselves in a very strange room.  Everything around us was much, much larger than us.  Chairs and tables loomed high above, and the ceiling seemed miles away.  We stood on checkered tiles colored dark and light pink.  The world's heart was nearby, and we could feel it so intensely.

  We finally reached the entrance to the heart of this world called Wonderland.  What lay before us was a door with a living handle and a large keyhole as its mouth.  It had previously been asleep, but our appearance startled it.  It said something, and fainted back to sleep.  Its mouth remained wide open, and inside it was the Keyhole.  The Wielder of the Keyblade had not been here to lock it yet, for we could still feel the world's heart.  We moved forward with caution and anxiety, unable to wait any longer to take this great heart.  For all we knew, Kingdom Hearts could lie behind this door as well.  But before we could pass through the doorway, we heard the voice of a boy say something in a strange language.  The figure held a weapon like no other, for this was a weapon we all knew.  It was the Keyblade and wielding it: its chosen master.

Astonished at this young boy who possessed such a powerful weapon in his hands, the Keyblade Wielder was given a chance to strike first.  He swung the Keyblade at one of us and successfully hit his target.  The Keyblade Wielder swung again, striking several more of us.  On he went, continuing to slaughter us several at a time.  We no longer underestimated this boy for it was clear that he knew how to use the Keyblade.  We knew what had to be done: our goal is the heart of this world and we must reach it before the boy does at all costs.

Several of us attacked him, to keep him from reaching the keyhole and locking our only way to the next world.  The boy's two companions, a knight and a mage, jumped from behind him and fought as well.  The knight bore a shield and the mage bore a wand.  I sensed their hearts and discovered their names: the knight was Goofy and the mage was Donald.  Shaking my head, I quickly returned to the pertaining matter at hand.  Following our instincts of survival, we launched ourselves toward the doorway in hopes to make it through.  Success greeted our desperation as we broke through the door and fell in a seemingly endless, dark place.  Below us was no light, but only darkness.  We felt the great heart was here but it was nowhere in sight.  

"Wait!  I feel it… it's above us," I said.

The great heart shimmered a great light was above us, and yet we were falling ever further away from it.  The light was beginning to lose its luminescence to the distance between us.  We struggled to stop falling, to stop drawing away from our destiny and we continued to reach for it.  And yet again, the fruits of our efforts were encouraging – the light began to regain its radiance!  We drew closer and closer and felt the light on our fingertips.  Soon, the great heart's light became too strong to gaze upon, yet we could not do anything but to continue reaching for the heart of the world.  Alas, it came into our grasp and the heart was ours, but the light did not stop becoming more powerful.  It continued to grow until we felt the intensity of the light's might in every fiber of our existence.  The heart almost became unbearable, but it gave us a mind-blowing rush.  I wanted it to stop, but at the same time I wished it would never end.  Suddenly the light vanished in an instant, and we were left falling again in the absolute darkness.  

Overjoyed to weakness as a result of our success, we were in a calm, deep sleep.  We felt something change about us, about our bodies.  We felt more agile, and we formed a tail but we did not care.  We had taken the heart of Wonderland and our victory was the only thing that mattered to us.


	3. Deep Jungle

**The Journey of One**

**Chapter II**

**---**

**Location: Deep Jungle**

  The second world was not unlike the previous world, Wonderland.  There were many trees here too, but they were bigger and taller.  The ground was littered with thick, unforgiving patches of deep green grass and there wasn't much light seeping through the canopy above us.  Dark, thorny bushes seemed to creep out of the shadows of this place.  I was able to make a guess as to where we were from all of this.  Soon, our antennas confirmed it: we were in a jungle called 'Deep Jungle.'  However, there was something strange that I couldn't understand.  I was unable to sense a Princess of Heart in this world.  Once again, I tried to search for a Pure Heart but found nothing.  This was most puzzling to me and I couldn't help but wonder why we were here.

"There is no Princess of Heart here… how can this be?"

  "We are supposed to find one of them, are we not?"

  "There is nothing more to think about."

"Yes.  If none are here, we must hurry and move on."

  "But why are we here at all?"

  "It doesn't matter.  What we must do now is search for this world's heart."

  "We find it, claim it, and then continue searching."

  Shaking off all doubts, we carefully traveled through the jungle, only shifting through small distances to be sure that we wouldn't miss anything.  Later, I began to think about the Keyblade Master, worrying that he may already have arrived here.  As time went on, my worries slowly faded since there were no signs of Sora or his two companions.  By the time the sun began to set, we had reached a clearing where the sound of a waterfall echoed in the distance.  Bamboo stalks seemed to create towering walls around us as we followed along an almost grassless dirt path.  

We reached a cliff situated over a vast, crystalline-blue lake with a river that flowed into the sunset faraway.  A rainbow-filled waterfall almost concealed a dark cave near us, but there was no doubt that the heart of Deep Jungle was within that cavern.  But before we could take one more step, three shadows jumped out from behind us: Sora, Goofy and Donald.  Remembering what happened last time, I nearly hesitated to leave the others behind to die but I knew what had to be done.  Reluctantly, I continued to swiftly shift small distances with some others toward the deep reaches of the waterfall cave.  At the cavern entrance, I glanced back for one brief moment thinking about the rest of us desperately trying to hold the Keyblade Wielder's party back, and then continued on.

  The cavern, reaching just past the middle of the waterfall, was strangely deep.  The rays of the sinking sun managed to refract through the waterfall, but as we continued inward the light became more and more scarce.  Soon, we reached a place illuminated blue by the glowing butterflies that encircled that place.  We could make out large tree roots in front of us, and many of these butterflies were grouped together at the center of the roots.  They fluttered away revealing a luminous Keyhole; this was no doubt the entrance to this world's heart.  Suddenly, I saw several of us get thrown into the wall from behind me.  I looked back and surely, there stood Sora waving the Keyblade around.  After clearing the others away, our eyes met and he dashed forward and struck me with the weapon.

It was like nothing I had ever even imagined when the Keyblade's edge pierced my skin.  I felt no real pain at that moment; only surges of energy much like the energy I felt from Wonderland's heart.  It was as though a light was burning something into me, something as pure as light, as soothing as darkness.  I did not know it then, but what I was feeling was a taste of the truth.  I saw many strange things, almost like visions of the future, flashing through my mind as the blade slowly slashed through my body.  That one moment lasted an eternity, and yet in the blink of an eye as the cavern slowly formed again around me.  The impact from the Keyblade had tossed me back, but Sora's intentions backfired as I was launched right into the Keyhole.  

I passed through with ease and darkness once again appeared all around me.  Several others also managed to crawl through the Keyhole before it was sealed by Sora.  The heavenly light was there just like in Wonderland, and we swam through the darkness toward it.  Each passing moment seemed everlasting in anticipation for that moment again, where the light envelops the body and mind.  And that moment finally came when I reached the blinding light.  With such strength did it surge through me, almost as if it purified me.  The overwhelming sensations proved once again insurmountable as we were once again brought to a calming slumber.  Our bodies began to change again, but it was different.  Our tails vanished; our claws became thinner and longer; and helmets and boots materialized on us.

When the Keyblade touched me then, it changed everything.  I had not realized it while I fell into the light at that moment but deep down I knew that at that point, my destiny was put in motion.  This was the beginning of my death.


	4. Monstro

**The Journey of One**

**Chapter III**

**---**

****

**Location: Monstro**

  When I came to, I found myself surrounded by stacks upon stacks of broken wooden planks.  The piles of planks were partially submerged under water, and the planks I stood on were floating on water.  I concluded that I was on some sort of beach littered with remains from shipwrecks.  Several others stood around the area studying the surroundings, which struck me as odd.  'Why not just sense this world's heart?' I wondered.  After trying to sense this world's heart, I found that this world somehow didn't have a heart.  I concentrated harder, frantically trying to find the source of this world, but no avail.

  "A world without a Princess and a world without a heart…"

  "Why have we been brought to this place?"

  "Is our purpose not to find the Princesses of Heart to return home?"

  "Everything that we believed was a lie?"

  "No, no, we mustn't doubt ourselves now.  We must move on."

  "This world is without heart!  How are we supposed to get to the next world?!"

  Dazed and confused, I sat down and thought about my recent encounter with Sora.  There was no scar on my body from the Keyblade, almost as if it didn't happen at all.  I thought it all may have been a dream but it was so real that it had to have happened.  I remembered the flashes in my mind when the Keyblade struck me.  I endeavored to sort out everything I saw, but the harder I tried to understand those visions the further that understanding seemed to be.  I soon gave up and decided to explore this 'world,' and it was truly baffling what I beheld around me.

High above me was what seemed to be some sort of bone formation and on top of that seemed to be gums.  I leaped up to one of the tall woodpiles to get a better view of everything.  One side of this large hallow had two rows of giant teeth stacked on one another, and the opposite side was very different.  The ground there was a light pink, bumpy and slimy surface, and two vertically aligned wholes made doorways on the back wall.  It became obvious to me where we were after seeing all this.  We were inside the mouth of some sort of animal and judging from the shape of its mouth, it was probably a marine animal.  I looked down at the others and saw how puzzled they were, as I was several moments before. The others started to become erratic and started to randomly shift from one woodpile to another.  Some started to attack things like the planks and the surface of the water.  They seemed to be consumed by a rage born out of the fear of not knowing.  Seeing how they reacted, I almost thought that we blindly relied on our senses too much back then.  Almost.

Before I could even think any more, a voice echoed in my head.  'Monstro,' it said.  I had no idea who or what Monstro was, until I finally understood our situation.  As I had thought, this 'world' that we were on wasn't exactly a world at all but it was a living, breathing, giant whale.  We somehow were brought inside a massive blue whale named Monstro for a reason unknown to us.  I tried to calm the others down by explaining the situation.  "I know where we are.  We are inside a whale named Monstro," I told them through utilizing my senses.  But the others suddenly froze and all their eyes looked at me with an empty gaze.  There was no movement, no twitch, no sound nor echo.  An eerie silence had settled in, except for the soft ripples of the water onto the soaked planks of wood.  

On they stared with their yellow glowing eyes, staring, staring, and staring.  Fear rapidly crept in my mind as my eyes bounced from one pair of eyes to the other, desperately trying to understand why.  Why they were all looking at me, why they had such blank and yet unnatural looks on their faces, why they had those expressions pointed toward me.  I began to panic and started to step backward, but I stumbled and fell back.  I rolled down the side of the woodpile and was tossed like a rag doll into the air.  I looked back and saw that Monstro began to open its mouth; those wide rows of enormous teeth quickly pulled further and further away from each other.  Closer and closer I flew to the mouth until finally I escaped its jaws and left Monstro.

I fell deeper and deeper into space while Monstro turned and disappeared in the other direction.  I couldn't move my body there as if I was paralyzed, uncontrollably falling through emptiness.  It felt a little like the realm we were in when we went through the Keyholes, except there was no warm light anywhere around me.  There was only cold, black space filled with an endless sea of stars forever filling the universe.  I closed my eyes and prayed to my home, Kingdom Hearts.  I hoped so hard that this empty, lonely feeling I began to have would go away and never come back.  I continued to pray so hard, so very hard until I finally opened my eyes.  

Nothing.  

There was nothing.  All the stars had vanished and the universe had disappeared.  I realized I was actually standing on something so I looked down at my feet.

Nothing.

What I was standing on was no different than what I saw above and around me.  A realm of emptiness encircled me.  I edged forward and the invisible ground followed.  I stepped forward again but there was no end to this ground.  I started to run as fast as I could.  I didn't care where I would end up, just as long as I could go back to the others.

Finally, a dark figure materialized in front of me and I abruptly stopped.  The figure looked like a large, dark blue cloak floating in midair.  Near the bottom of the cloak was a shining heart protected by a force field.  The hood of the cloak contained nothing, yet I felt there were eyes there that could stare right through me.  A voice spoke and echoed throughout the infinite reaches of this place.  The words that it spoke were incomprehensible, as it sounded like nothing I had ever heard before.  It then waved its hand and ray of light blasted right through my helmet and into my head.  A slight burning sensation ensued but ended shortly after it began.

"Now, you can understand me, can you not?"  The shadow spoke.

"What is happening… where am I… what are you?" I said out loud.

"I have infused your soul with a language.  Now we can speak to one another."

"What… what is this?  Why am I… 'talking'?  I shouldn't have to do anything but think and—"

"You are different.  You are not like the others.  You must know that."

"What are you talking about?"

The shadow froze for a moment, thinking and said, "it seems I may have overestimated you.  But don't worry about that.  Right now you must understand that you are not like the 'Heartless,' those other creatures you've been traveling with.  You have a 'mind,' a 'soul.'  You have thoughts, emotions -- you do not belong with the others."

"Lies… you're lying!  I am no different that the others!" I shouted in denial.

"You've felt it too.  You think you've been talking to the others?  You know you haven't.  Those voices in your mind came from your soul deep down inside.  You've been having 'thoughts,' something that only one with a soul can do."

"No… this can't be true…"

"You must accept this.  Don't worry, there is nothing to be afraid of."

Its words echoed with such truth that I crumbled to my knees, knowing that no matter how hard I tried to deny it I knew it had spoken the truth.  "I can't… I can't accept this… It just can't be… can't be true…"

"I haven't much time.  You must go on.  I shall now send you to Atlantica.  Believe in the truth!  You are the—"

Its voice trailed off as a light filled the emptiness and my body began to change again, but it was different.  My tail vanished; my claws became thinner and longer, and a helmet and a pair of boots materialized on me.  Everything disappeared and I was once again sent falling.


	5. Atlantica

**The Journey of One**

**Chapter IV**

**---**

**Location: Atlantica**

            Everything around me seemed blurry and bright as I slowly awoke.  I squinted, giving a chance for my eyes to adjust to my surroundings.   I almost choked when I realized I was underwater but I soon understood that my adaptation allowed me to breathe in water.  This world was a vast and deep ocean, and I remembered what the strange shadow had called this place: Atlantica.  I looked around to see that I was not with any of the others.  Quickly I set out to find them still denying all that the shadow had said.  I somehow convinced myself that when I found them, all would be better again and back to the way it was.  But that didn't happen.  Somewhat accustomed to my new form, I swam through the ocean as best I could.  Using my antennas once again, I searched for the presence of the others.  

As I swam in their direction, I did something I had never done before: see.  Not just to observe what was around me, but to really see where I was and how things looked.  Coral formations of all colors littered the ocean floor, and together they seemed to emanate rainbows through the water, schools of fish gracefully danced through the water and around the rocks, and many other creatures I could not name filled the waters.  I continued to swim onward taking in all that I saw, but I started to feel amazed, excited.  I shook my head trying to get those 'emotions' out of me and concentrated on getting to the others.  'This isn't true,' I kept repeating to myself, 'It can't be.'

            It wasn't long before I reached a sort of aquatic palace lit with a bright yellow light.  Inside I heard sounds of commotion and, quickly becoming accustomed to the water, I rushed inside the aquamarine castle.  After I entered the throne room, I caught a glimpse of a familiar merman escape through a window and a large number of the others follow him.  Briefly glancing around the room, I swam after them.  

The chase led me through a number of tunnels and alcoves draped with green seaweeds.  I eventually reached a grotto where I saw the merman waving a Keyblade around tossing the others aside.  He turned around revealing that he was really the Keyblade Master, Sora, accompanied by Goofy and Donald.  Their bodies had somehow adapted also to this underwater environment.  Bewildered, I remained motionless until Sora swayed the weapon and sliced through me once again.

            What I had experienced the last time I came in contact with Keyblade happened again then, but it was much more intense.  If what I was going through was somehow 'truth,' then the one thing that had changed since the last time was that my mind was more open.  I could accept more 'truth,' but that hadn't changed the fact that the flashes I saw or felt were incomprehensible to me.  As the weapon's edge slowly pierced my body, a more powerful rush of energy surged through me.  The flashes were more vivid and they seemed to wrack even the armor I had on.  

I was experiencing pain and pleasure, fear and excitement, loneliness and wholeness, joy and sadness.  All the emotions that were buried and shut deep inside of me awoke with a vengeance and they all took over my senses.  Soon, all this became too much for me to handle and I felt my body begin to disintegrate.  The Keyblade continued to slash through my skin and it felt as if my soul was being torn asunder.  A momentary eternity slipped by as I lost my consciousness and was thrown back into an abyss of darkness.

            When I opened my eyes, I saw no different than if I had closed them.  I was in the same place as I was when I met the shadow seemingly moments before; an everlasting emptiness that consumed itself.  I stood on nothing, there was nothing all around me and even when I looked at myself I saw nothing.  I drifted forward this time; I didn't run because I had no legs and there was no rush.  I knew what was going to happen; I knew that I would meet that shadow again.  Inevitability is inescapable and unapproachable.

            "You've returned… I imagine that you were—"

            "Killed," I interrupted, "By the Keyblade Wielder."

            "You don't seem confused, only despondent."

            "Despondence carries you toward death, not passed it…"

            "You are beginning to use your mind I see, despite knowing what it means—"

            "—That I am not like the others.  I am… something different…"

            "Yes, you are 'unique.'  But, you've made that assumption even without meeting them to be sure.  Are you relying on your feelings?"

            Reluctantly, I confirmed its conclusion.

            "You are quickly coming to terms with the truth.  I suppose it is time that I give you your name."

            I was confused.  "Name?  I have a… name?"

            "You are One.  The only 'One.'  This is your identity and this is your truth."

            As those words echoed, the light consumed the emptiness and I was sent falling again.  To another place, another world, another existence.  As I fell, I closed my eyes to try to accept reality.  My body began to adapt again.  My claws became nails; my boots became flippers, my helmet extended back with propellers.  A pike also appeared in my hand.  I felt sadness, and a shadow of a tear escaped my eyes into the fading nothingness.  

"I am One," I whispered to myself, "I am One..."


	6. Agrabah

The Journey of One 

**Chapter V**

**---**

**Location: Agrabah**

            A vast sea of swirling sands delimited me as I awoke.  The sky was dark blue with a gathering of stars here and there, and a crescent moon in the center of it all.  Clasping the scimitar in my hand, I shuffled to my feet and looked around.  To one side of the desert in the faraway distance was a walled city, and to the other end was an oddly subtle mound of sand that almost resembled a head.  I suspected that the others – the 'Heartless,' as the shadow had called them – were in the city, so I decided to head there.  I had to see them one last time because I had not erased all doubts about what was happening to me yet.  I needed to be sure that I truly wasn't like them and that I was 'unique.'  I felt that a part of me still wanted things to be as they were before all this happened, but there was a growing urge inside me to be different from the others.  It frightened me and as much as I tried to ignore it, the more it grew.

            I didn't realize that I had no idea what this place was called until a while later, so I decided to connect to this world's heart to find out.  It was strange that I hadn't remembered considering it was natural instinct to me for the first three worlds I was in.  I found that this world was called Agrabah.  Continuing to shift closer and closer to the city, I finally arrived at the gates.  A massive wooden door loomed in front of me, barred with steel emanating a sense of impenetrability.  But this was nothing to me; the city was one shift away.  I almost felt bad for using my abilities and as foolish as it may be to feel remorse for a wall; it felt strange when I passed through it.  Almost as if something inside me didn't want me to use my abilities – my abilities as a 'Heartless.'

            Just as I appeared inside, other Heartless crept out of the shadows in the city.  They all jumped, leaped, dashed from all corners of the town square, and in the middle of it all stood Sora, Donald and Goofy protecting a girl.  She had long, black hair held back with a headband that was centered with a crystal.  A light blue gown covered her entire body and brown, pointed sandals lay at her feet.  She seemed very frightened from the look on her face and while Sora and the others frantically tried to hold back the shadows, I began to wonder why this girl was so special.  

I heard steps from behind me and looked back to see a boy with a purple vest and white pants run toward me with his sword.  I bounced off one wall to the other to reach the top of the city walls in order to keep a safe distance from all the commotion, barely escaping the black-haired boy's blade.  Reluctantly using my senses again, I searched for more information about the two tan-skinned strangers.  Surely enough, my suspicions held truth; the girl was indeed a Princess of Heart and she was named Jasmine.  But from her heart, I could sense a strong bond between her and this boy that was helping Sora.  I could not understand what it was, but she was very connected to the boy named Aladdin.

            The battle between the four protectors and the Heartless continued, as I curiously watched from above.  It was an entirely new perspective of battle for me, as I had always been a part of it.  Nevertheless, the battle ended before long as the Heartless overpowered Sora's party and successfully took the Princess of Heart.  While the Keyblade Master, Mage and Knight crumbled to their knees up against a dead-ended alleyway, Aladdin struggled to his feet and continued to fight for Jasmine all the while shouting her name, as if it were an empowering chant.  His desperate attempts were futile however, as the shadows took her away and Aladdin was finally brought to his knees.  

As soon as the Heartless shifted away with her, the ones holding Sora's group at bay followed them away.  I could faintly sense their destination: that mysterious mound of sand I had seen in the desert.  I had every intention of following them, but something told me to head down to the now exhausted protectors.  I made my way down to them slowly, as not to startle them.  I stood in front of Sora, carefully edging my way forward to get a closer look at his weapon.  As I got closer to him, the Keyblade began to rob all my attention with a slight glow.  I reached out to grab hold of it slowly but Sora's hand clenched the Keyblade strongly, brought it up from the ground and stabbed it into my chest.

            Those feelings filled me up again: anxiety, fear, joy, sadness – all of it began to overflow and consume my whole existence.  Incomprehensible visions flashed through my mind, the city faded around me and the same blinding light followed.  The abrupt change from light to nothingness came as no surprise to me because I had thought that I would be brought back to that darkness yet again.  I knew that It would come no matter what so I decided not to walk forward.  Surely enough It appeared out the nothingness that was all around.

            "One…" It said, and then paused implying for me to say something.

            "Of all the things I do not understand yet, what bothers me is still who _you_ are."

            "So you've begun to understand a few things, then…?"

            "I'm only beginning to grasp—" I realized It was changing the subject, "never mind that!  Who are you?"

            "There is no description that is valid.  Consider this: 'an existence that does not exist outside of this realm of nothingness because it is one with it.  But even here, it does not 'exist.'  Can you understand this?"

            I gave it some thought and replied, "If you do not exist, how is it that I am talking to you now?"

            "No description will ever be completely true.  Existence yet non-existence, being yet not being."

            "What shall I call you then?" I asked, trying to make things simpler.

            "Ah, what term can you give something that is not?  Is there such a term?"

            I stood silently, realizing that I would never get an answer.  "That girl, Jasmine… how is her heart so connected to that boy's?"

            "Emotions, One.  Her emotions toward Aladdin created an unbreakable bond between them.  The boy in turn also feels the same as she does, and thus was their bond made ever stronger.  This emotion is called 'love.'"

            "This 'love' can create bonds between two entities?"

            "The bond is only between their hearts, One.  You see, every existence has three parts to it: a mind, a heart and a body.  All existences have this, even you."

            "… How is it that you understand so much?" I asked.

            "Time reveals everything, even untold wisdom.  Now you must go again, One.  Remember what I've told you, One."

            And on to another world I went.  The light flashed once again and I was endlessly falling to another world.  I continued to ponder the shadow's words about existence.  I wondered if the Heartless were 'existences' too or if we really were that different.  But my adaptation started again and it stopped my trail of thought.  This time, my helmet became a turban and my pike became a scimitar.  My armor turned to cloth and my flippers became long boots.  I felt that strange urge undeniably growing inside me and the thoughts it brought were becoming stronger and stronger.  The part of me that wanted to be different, that wanted me to be unique, was beginning to take over me and I knew it wouldn't be long before it did.


	7. Neverland

The Journey of One 

**Chapter VI**

**---**

**Location: Neverland**

            This time, I never lost my consciousness.  The light dissipated around me, and a world formed itself.  I stood on a pirate ship in the middle of a vast, moonlit ocean where the million-star sky was perfectly reflected on its surface.  The wind howled through the black, sails carrying the ship gently through the water.  The deck was silent and the wooden barrels, tables, chairs stood vacant.  I decided to go inside to see if anyone was there and headed through the doorway.  Quickly ducking my head inside, I saw that there was no one here also.  I returned outside where this time, the Heartless were fighting against Sora's group – in midair!  I was startled at first, but I soon realized that this world somehow enabled flight for not only Sora and the Heartless, but for me as well.  

After sensing this world's heart I came to understand this and the fact that there was no Princess of Heart here.  I quickly flew just inside the doorway continuing to observe the battle.  I noticed that Sora, Goofy and Donald were accompanied by a fourth fighter again, but it was not Aladdin.  It was an orange-haired boy with slightly pointed ears and a forest green outfit with brown shoes.  Flying around him was a small fairy-like creature, glowing a bright yellowish color.  But those two being there made no difference, seeing how the vastly outnumbered group was once again being pushed down onto the deck.  Sora and the others had slain countless Heartless in this world alone by now, yet they were still losing the battle and continued to be pushed further into the ship and closer to me.  When I realized that I was in their path of retreat, it was too late.  Sora had already noticed me and again slashed me into oblivion with the Keyblade.

            I had grown accustomed to this disintegration sensation that had ensued after every time the Keyblade touched me, but that did not change the fact that it was mind-blowing.  Again, the world vanished around me and the piercing brightness consumed everything.  Innumerable flashes went through my mind as the emptiness slowly filled my surroundings.  The shadow had not even appeared yet, but its voice spoke: "Do you realize that you did not use your senses in Neverland just now?"

            I was puzzled with this revelation.  "You're right… I didn't.  Why did I forget?"

            "You didn't forget, One.  You decided against it.  You decided against it because you are trying not to become a Heartless."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Eh?  You didn't… that's odd."

Remembering those strange visions, I asked it: "What is it that I see when I come here?"

             "Those are premonitions, One.  You are catching glimpses of things to come."

            "I can see the future?"

            "No one can see past the choices they make.  Since what you see has not happened yet, you cannot understand them.  But fate— or destiny has already laid the path that you walk now."

            "I see… and what of the 'Heartless?'  What is there goal?  I thought that we—_they_, were meant to find the Princesses of Heart and return to Kingdom Hearts?"

            It paused for a moment, and then answered: "One, it is time you know what the Heartless are.  First you must understand this: there are four realms that make up everything.  First is the Realm of Existence.  This is the place where you have traveled through all this time.  Wonderland, Deep Jungle, Monstro, Atlantica, Agrabah – these are all worlds that lie in the Realm of Existence.  Then there is the forgotten world, the world of emptiness, the Realm of Non-Existence.  This is the place you are in now.  And there is also the World of Light and finally the World of Darkness.  This dark realm is the cause for the Heartless and simultaneously what the Heartless are.  They are mere creatures, figments of the dark world's shadow.  In other words, they are heartless, mindless bodies made entirely out of pure darkness."

            I took a few moments to absorb all that information, and then replied: "And what-"

            "This is the extent of knowledge necessary for you to have.  Now you must go, One."

            "No!  I'm not finished!  Tell me what _I_ am!"

            "One, we haven't much time.  You must—"

            "Answer me!"

            Silence settled for several moments before he finally answered me: "One, you are 'special.'  You are something… that is beyond comprehension.  You're existence defies all rules of existence and all laws of non-existence.  You are inexplicable and worse, equal to and greater than everything.  There is… nothing more that can be said about you.  Just remember, One: you are not complete.  You do not fully 'exist' yet.  But soon you will—"

            Before It finished, I fell out of the emptiness pondering Its words.  It had said that I was an existence that defied, was greater than, less than and equal to everything.  Once again I was met with shock as the truth settled in.  And once again, I transformed.  My turban became a bandanna and an eye patch, my scimitar became a long sword, and my long boots became shoes.  The ever-stronger urge inside me grew even more from this reality and I could feel my consciousness being altered from it.  Something was definitely changing, and it was changing fast.


	8. Halloween Town

The Journey of One 

**Chapter VII**

**---**

**Location: ****Halloween****Town******

            Halloween Town, the place of tricks and treats.  This was the next world I found myself in.  The sky was a dark purple, with a pale yellow moon shimmering on one end of the sky.  Standing before the large moon was an oddly shaped hill that resembled a swirl.  Tilted graves jutting from the ground littered the area around the curled hill.  Numerous pumpkins had jagged shapes carved out of one of their sides vaguely resembling a face of some sort.  Upon further inspection, I noticed that lit candles were placed inside the pumpkins.  This place reeked with fright and fear, making me feel uncomfortable in it.  It was then I remembered that I had grown wings during my adaptation to this world.  Practicing using my wings, I had just left the ground when something grabbed me and pulled me back to the ground.  I landed face first in the dusty graveyard dirt.  As I crawled back to my feet, I looked back and noticed that it was a Heartless that had attacked me.

I froze in astonishment, wondering why it had attacked me.  Clearly, the fact that the Heartless and I looked identical didn't fool them anymore.  Its blank stare was accompanied by a motionless body, as other Heartless shifted behind it.  I staggered backward only to see that I was now completely surrounded by them.  Step by step the Heartless moved in, and I was stuck in the middle.  The air was filled with Heartless closing in on me, eliminating any means of escaping.  What the shadow had said about the Heartless became apparent, as all their movements were synchronized and the same empty look was imbued into all their faces.  They drew closer and closer to me until four figures leaped from behind them and cleared the crowd of Heartless.  Disorientated, I could only gawk as Sora, Donald, Goofy and yet another different fourth member fought the Heartless back.  'Why are they protecting _me_?' I thought.

With an evidently increased strength, Sora's party managed to slay many more Heartless and drove their forces away.  I fell to my knees in awe of their strength, envying them.  The four of them collected in front of me and began to speak amongst each other almost as if I didn't understand.

"Sora!  What are you waiting for?  Defeat the last Heartless!" Donald exclaimed.

"Yeah, Sora!  It might attack us!  Hurry and get rid of it!" Goofy supported.

"No wait, guys.  Didn't you see?  They were turning against this one.  Any enemy of theirs is probably a friend of ours, right?  Right, Jack?" Sora was speaking to the fourth fighter.  His head resembled a skull, and he wore a tattered tuxedo that perfectly fit his tall and skinny physique.

Jack answered indecisively, "Oh gee… I don't know.  You have a point, Sora, but if this one somehow… betrayed the others then how can _we_ trust it?"

They paused for a moment, thinking about what to do with me.  This was the first time I had actually heard them speak at all, of all the encounters I've had with them.  Nevertheless, I wasn't frightened because I knew I wouldn't really get hurt.  'Go ahead,' I thought to myself.  Suddenly, Sora turned to me with his eyes wide open.  'Why is he looking at me?' I wondered, 'could he have… _heard _me?'  This time, he turned his whole body toward me, continuing to stare at into my eyes.  I looked into the Keyblade Wielder's blue eyes as he looked in mine.  

His eyes were different from the Heartless', as they had substance; they showed that he had a mind and a heart.  Then I wondered if he could see that I had a mind and heart, but before I could think any further he shook his head and swung his Keyblade.  I toppled backward trying to avoid it, but Sora followed his slash with a thrust.  The Keyblade plunged into me and I was sent back to the empty world.  Glimpses of the future rushed through my mind, streams of white light covered the world and my body once again disappeared into nothingness.  My senses were pushed to full throttle and I could feel unthinkable sensations rush through my limbs once again.  Emptiness poured into the light and I stood before the shadow once again.

"So it is true then… they are mere objects, tools, shells created by darkness." I said.

It paused and then moved on, "I see that you've heard them talking."

"Sora and the others?  Yes… why have I never heard them before?"

"You've never given them a chance.  Before, you were always fighting them and more recently, they've been fighting the Heartless.  Besides that, you didn't understand them before."

"Did they not speak the same tongue you and I are?"

"You could not speak like this until you were imbued with that language.  Don't you remember?  You had always been thinking to yourself before then, in a language of the mind only comprehensible to you."

"I see."  As surprised as I was, I was constantly learning something new at every moment and so surprise started to become commonplace.  I realized I was getting used to an emotion and was almost taken back by it.

"One.  The time has drawn near, now.  You will soon fulfill your destiny."

"What?!"  The sudden news came as a surprise to me, "So… the time is now, then."

"Yes.  And you will be complete soon.  Your heart, mind and body are pulling together and you will cross the boundaries of non-existence, One.  You must be ready for it.  And now, it is time for me to join you.  You see, One, I am really a part of you too."

"Ah... Well, I was beginning to suspect as much.  It seems I was right."

"It makes us glad that you are evolving so well.  Come, One.  Let us join and go to the End of the World!"

The shadow's cloak began to shine and tore itself up until there was nothing left but the glowing heart I had always seen before.  I stepped forward and touched the heart.  The barrier dissipated and the heart rushed into my chest.  A gentle, amber light ran over my skin as I slowly felt the heart become a part of me.  Before long, the surges of light replaced the empty space and I was sent falling to another world.  My bandanna became a cap and my eye patch changed to a pair of goggles.  My sword vanished, but my claws grew back.  Wings also formed on my back.  I felt different than I did before.  I felt more 'whole,' more 'complete.'  It seems what '_I' _was saying about myself was true.


	9. End of the World

The Journey of One 

**Chapter VIII**

**---**

**Location: End Of The World**

I found myself in darkness moving up towards light.  I walked out of the cave and saw the unimaginable: the graveyard of worlds.  This was the place where all worlds ended up when their hearts were taken.  That place itself was empty however; it was a giant mass of space.  I looked above me and saw light-pink clouds almost completely engulfing a fuchsia sky.  I stood on a wet, invisible surface that perfectly reflected the sky above it.  Each step I took, the surface would ripple lightly almost as if it was water but my feet did not get wet.  I walked towards another light that was a long distance away.  Leading up to it was a series of adjacent rock-pillars that was placed closer and closer to each other as I moved towards the light.  

Reaching the light, I stood before a dimensional vortex of some sort that seemed to tunnel through the fabric of reality itself.  Grasping the broad sword at hand, I lifted off the ground and flew into it.  I quickly passed through to a crevasse covered in dark-green snow.  The bottom of the crevasse was quite a long ways down, but small stone platforms jutted out from each side.  I carefully made my way down, gliding from platform to platform until I finally reached the bottom.  Another vortex was at one end of the gorge bottom and without hesitation, I flew in.  A pillar of light loomed in front of me.  It gave off a similar feeling as the other vortexes, so I jumped in.

I fell onto a snowfield and became surrounded by Heartless once again.  Countless masses of Heartless appeared for miles around, each of them with the exact same blank expression.  Without hesitation, I lifted my broad sword ready to fight them.  Likewise without hesitation, the Heartless lunged at me one after another.  Skillfully swinging my sword, I managed to slay several of them at a time.  I slashed two that came at me from the front, followed by several that were creeping up behind me.  Also using my legs, I kicked away a few of them moving in from the sides and then a spin kick for the one in front of me.  I stabbed my sword forward defeating several more shadows, and brought it back in time to spin-slash the in-moving ones.  The battle raged on, but I did not grow tired of it and nor did they.  My blade cut through the air time and again destroying countless Heartless.  The crowd soon became small enough for me to jump out of, so I leaped out of there to focus my attacks in a single line.  I repeated this tactic a few times until no Heartless remained.  The seemingly-endless battle final ceased, and another vortex appeared before me.  

After jumping in, I appeared before a door that seemed to reach the sky.  This place was not like the previous areas, as my surroundings had become a deep black and save for the flat rock I was standing on in midair.  Just as I reached forward for the gigantic door's handle, it moved away from me.  Suddenly, an invisible force pushed me far backward onto another rock.  The door was now a long distance away, and the once skyscraping door had become a seemingly tiny one.

A god-like voice strongly echoed through the air: "Who are you?"

"I am One." I answered.  I thought the door moved away from me somehow, but I dismissed it as my imagination.

"What are you?"

"I… I do not know."  This time, the door seemed to move closer but again I didn't believe it.

"Where are you?"

"I am at the End of the World," I said after sensing this world's heart.  Oddly enough, the door drew further away once again.  I knew now that I wasn't imagining things.

"When are you?"

"I am… now."  The door almost went out of sight.

"Why are you?"

"I am because… I exist because..." I stopped to think and finally answered "I don't know."  Surely enough, the door moved closer.

"Who are you?"

"I don't know," I answered thinking that saying this will eventually bring me closer to the door or the door closer to me.

"What are you?"

"I don't know." Closer.

"Where are you?"

"I don't know." Closer again.

"When are you?"

"I don't know." Closer yet again.

"Why are you?"

"I don't know." Still closer yet again.  On I continued to say that I don't know, and the door inevitably grew closer to me until it finally stood in front of me.  The voice asked again: "Who are you?"

"I don't know."  Expecting something to happen, I waited in silence.  Nothing happened.

"What are you?"

"I don't know."  Again, nothing happened.  I reached forward for the door, but it again pushed me far backward.  The questions endlessly came, and I continued the pattern hoping that the door would open.  Numerous times the door pushed me back, and it seemed that nothing would change.  The door stood before me once again, and I stopped to think for a moment, trying to figure out what it is I must do.  I thought, 'if admitting that you don't know brings you closer, then the way to open the door is…'

"Who are you?"

"I don't know… but I want to know."  With that, the door rumbled open and storms of light and darkness blasted through the door and brought me to my knees.  Barely holding on, the raging typhoon continued around me.  The door became fully open and the commotion finally stopped.  I slowly shuffled to my feet and realized that the blasts had thrown my sword down into the pits of the abyss beneath me.  I gazed forward and saw nothing.  Nothing.  This door was simply just that: a door.  Behind it was no room, or place, or world, or realm.  It was simply a door that opened into nothing but the same place it was keeping out.  I stood there, confused.  'Was this the secret that the door was protecting?  Nothing?  What does this mean?' I wondered.

I had tried to figure it out and concluded that somehow this door symbolized knowledge.  To reach knowledge is to first acknowledge that one does not have it.  Once that knowledge is in reach, then one must admit that he or she seeks it and desires it.  Beyond that, I hadn't a clue.  But then I realized what had to be done.  So, I stepped forward into the doorway and once again, I was sent falling and falling into darkness.  My headgear disappeared and was replaced with a pair of long, jagged horns.  My boots and my helmet vanished, revealing my pitch-black skin.  And finally, a broad sword was born into my grip. 

 As I fell, I thought about what the whole meaning of the puzzle was and realized that it really symbolized my entire journey.  I set out to search for knowledge by admitting that I did not have it.  To unlock the knowledge from its prison, I had to admit that I wanted to know what that knowledge was.  And finally by stepping through the door, I had gathered up enough courage to step into the unknown and find what I was looking for.  But now that I had, was I really prepared to see the truth and accept this 'knowledge?'


	10. Kingdom Hearts

The Journey of One 

**Chapter IX**

**---**

**Location: Kingdom Hearts**

My body had grown considerably more massive.  My broad sword had disappeared and my horns too.  But I knew that this was my final form, my ultimate form.  I tried using my wings to stop falling, but a force much greater than I could imagine was pulling my body down, paralyzing it.  I saw many strange things during my fall.  I saw darkness and light, existence and non-existence.  I couldn't understand it, let alone explain it, but it was almost like pieces of wisdom rushed passed me as I fell.  Many things passed through me, and for the brief moment that they were inside me I would learn something, but I as I would continue to fall that knowledge would fade.  This place I was falling through began to defy all rules of reality, as I would sometimes be falling down, other times to the side and other times up.  And as if nothing happened, as soon as I blinked it all went away.

I had been falling head first, and now I found myself with both feet on the ground with no repercussions whatsoever from falling at such a great speed.  Instead, I was in the middle of an intersection between four paths.  Wherever this place was, it was nighttime and several stretches of deep blue-grey clouds tattered the starlit sky.  It seemed that every world in existence could be seen from this place.  The four roads that began from under my feet were identical, yet I could feel a difference between each of them.  One led to light, another led to darkness, another led somewhere and the last led simply nowhere.  'Am I supposed to choose which path I take?' I thought.

"One," that same divine voice from before, "Welcome home.  Welcome to Kingdom Hearts."

"What?  Who are you?  Show yourself!" I exclaimed.

"You know what I am, One.  Think.  You do know."

I laughed in disbelief.  "You don't mean… you are too?"

"Yes.  I am a part of you as well."

"What am I?  Why must I go through all this merely to exist?"

"One, all will be understood very soon.  Trust in reality.  Trust in yourself."

"But…" Everything in my whole life seemed like one big dream.  A dream that would never end.

"Come, One.  Let us merge.  I am the final piece to you.  You shall now be complete.  With your 'rebirth,' you will understand the truth about everything.  You shall receive all knowledge and comprehend all wisdom."  The stars in the sky all accumulated into one bright star in sky, directly above me.  The star then shot down, and pierced me.

An energy like nothing before erupted deep inside me.  All that I had felt before combined could not be compared to what I was feeling then.  I could feel my whole mind merging into one, my heart collecting into one and my body becoming 'real.'  So many unanswered questions that echoed within me had been answered.  Everything seemed so clear to me, and I felt myself being born for the first time into existence.  All knowledge and wisdom seeped into me and I absorbed it all, becoming omniscient.  After everything stabilized, I stood there for a few moments truly enjoying this feeling of being 'alive.'  I thought back to everything that had happened to me, since my anti-birth as a Heartless until now.  This moment, my new beginning.

My Heartless senses began to fade, and I would no longer be able to shift, or sense a world's heart.  From this moment, I am.  I truly am.  With the stars gone, I felt a warm light touch my skin.  I stared at the horizon, seeing the most beautiful sunset in the entire universe.  I closed my eyes, feeling every ray of sun around me.  I heard footsteps behind me and turned around knowing what to expect.  Three familiar faces walked toward me and behind them: seven majestically dressed women.  I recognized Alice of Wonderland and Jasmine of Agrabah, but I didn't need to sense the others to know who they were.

"Who are all of you?" I asked.  I knew who they were, but I didn't want to be conspicuous.

The Keyblade Wielder spoke: "Hi.  I'm Sora.  This is Donald and Goofy.  And this is Alice, Jasmine, Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Kairi.  How'd you end up here?"

"I… I'm not quite sure myself."

"Who are you?" Sora asked.

The sun, as if to signal which path to take, appeared directly at the end of one of the four roads.  I did not care where it lead, but I was determined to follow it.  I have died as a Heartless, and was reborn as something entirely different.  Something greater, worse and the same as everything.  An entity that defies all rules, laws and boundaries.  This is my path, this is my destiny.  My journey had only just begun.

"I am One."


End file.
